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I shake my head. “No, but I am bringing her a baby.”
Twenty minutes later, Cleveland enters the basement clutching a bag and sporting a confused look on his face. “I hope this is okay? It was difficult to find a doll at ten o’clock at night.”
I take the bag from him and pull out one of those lifelike babies that are popular with kids right now. It’s even wearing a yellow striped babygrow and has a matching blanket with yellow ducks embroidered along the hem. Its eyes are pressed shut and its rosebud mouth is relaxed in sleep. I bet it can fake pee as well.
“You think this is going to work?” Beast asks, eying the doll.
“I hope so,” I say. “Where did you manage to get this?”
“It belongs to Casey’s little girl,’ Cleveland explains. “Best I could do at the last minute.”
“Casey, as in one of the dancers at Nine Lives, right?” Beast asks.
“Yes. She was happy to help.”
I wince, feeling guilty about taking a toy from a child. “Please tell Casey that I’ll buy her little girl three brand new dolls to make up for taking this one off her hands.”
“I will. Anything else, Ma’am?” Cleveland asks, flicking his gaze to Mary.
“Yes, get the cleaners ready. We’ll need them here soon to clear up the mess. After that I want them to deal with her flat. Everything has to be destroyed. Understand?”
“Of course,” he replies with a nod. “I’ll make sure no traces are left behind.”
“I appreciate it,” I reply, waiting until Cleveland leaves the basement before showing Mary the doll. The moment her gaze falls on its sleeping form, a sob releases from her lips.
“My baby. Oh, my baby,” she cries, tears spilling over her lashes and falling down her cheeks as she shifts in her seat, unable to reach out as her arms are still restrained behind her back.“Please, let me hold my baby.”
I glance at Beast. “Untie her.”
“Kate?” he warns, giving me a look to tell me that he doesn’t think that’s a good idea.
“I said, untie her.”
He does.
When her arms are free she reaches for the doll, and I hand it to her. She takes it gently, cupping its head in her dirty, blood-caked hands and bowing her head to drop a kiss against its cheek. “Thank you,” she says softly, looking up at me, and it’s the first time I see someone close to a human behind her eyes and not the addled gaze of an addict.
“You’re welcome, Mary,” I reply, sitting down on the chair in front of her.
She drops her gaze back to the doll, seemingly oblivious that it’s not real and starts to rock her arms, humming a lullaby under her breath. Goosebumps erupt over my skin as a chill tracks down my spine.
Beast catches my gaze, “Kate?” he asks, so finely attuned to my feelings.
“I’m good,” I say, shaking off this weird feeling. “Let’s get this done.”
It’s been a long day. All I need to do is eat then sleep for a solid eight hours. At least, that’s what I tell myself when Mary begins to sing in earnest and that weird feeling in my gut evolves into apprehension.
“Hush little baby, don’t say a word, mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird…” Mary sings, a gentle smile pulling up her lips.
“Mary, I need to ask some questions,” I begin, swallowing down my unease.
“Sure,” she whispers, stroking the doll’s cheek, humming under her breath.
“Why did you kill Rodriguez?”
“Rodriguez?” she asks, pulling the doll tighter against her chest as a panic flickers behind her eyes.
“Yes. Did he try to hurt you?”
